1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panel mover or dolly for simply and efficiently holding a generally planer panel, such as a 4xc3x978 or 4xc3x9712 sheet of drywall or a sheet of 4xc3x978 or 5xc3x9712 sheet of plywood, in a manner that permits one person to move the dolly and panel from one location to another location. More specifically, the present invention relates to a panel movercomprising first and second upstanding arms which are pivotally connected to each other at the lower ends of the arm and with each arm mounting a wheel on an outer lower side thereof. A panel is positioned between the arms and rests on the pivot or hinge connection or on a strap or webbing fixed to and extending between the two arms. The weight of the panel moves the upper ends of the arms toward each other such that the upper ends of the arms grip and hold the panel on the panel mover or dolly while the panel mover and panel are moved from one location to another location.
2. Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR xc2xa7xc2xa71.97-1.99.
Heretofore, various movers or dollys or vises for planar members, such as panels or sailboards, have been proposed.
Several examples of such analogous and non-analogcus dollys or panel moving devices are disclosed in the following analogous and non-analogous U.S. Patents:
The Hurst U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,741 discloses a short editor vise comprising a pair of jaws hinged together by spring loaded hinge. Each jaw includes an outer plate mounting a wheel on a shaft and an inner, door griping plate fixed to a threaded rod threadably mounted in the outer plate.
The Morgan U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,802 discloses a dolly inc luding a U-shaped portion having upright members for receiving a sailboard therebetween. An elastic strap extends across the top of the upright members of the dolly and the dolly has a pair of wheels for supporting the end of the board received in the U-shaped portion.
The Dalfino U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,099 discloses a holder assembly for clenching a door in an upright position including elongate, generally rectangular clamping members and no wheels.
According to the present invention there is provided a panel mover for receiving, holding and moving a panel. The panel mover comprises: first and second elongate arms each having an upper end and a lower end and each having a length of between approximately 2 feet and approximately 4 feet; panel support structure connected between the arms; a wheel mounted to each arm on a wheel shaft extending from an outer side of each arm at the lower end of each arm; and inwardly facing engaging structure only at the upper end of each arm for engaging the side surface of a panel positioned between the arms, whereby, when an elongate edge of a panel is placed on the panel support structure, the weight of the panel will cause each elongate arm to rotate upwardly around one of the wheel shafts and pivot inwardly toward the panel to a panel engaging position where the engaging structure at the upper end of each arm engages the panel.